10 January 2025 12:05 am Views - 220
The woman with roses: Shila (32), a mother of three, ran a hairdressing salon before Eritrean soldiers invaded her town and repeatedly raped her for three months. As a consequence, Shila became pregnant and gave birth to a boy, but her other children do not know that her mother was assaulted. Shila is uncertain if she will ever be strong enough to tell them the truth. Photographed by Arlette Bashizi, for The Washington Post
World Press Photo exhibition began in December 1955 when a group of Dutch photographers organised a contest
Colombo has a rich cultural diversity and deep connection to history which is ideal for the exhibition
Marking a significant milestone in the art and media scene in Sri Lanka, the World Press Photo Exhibition will open doors to the public today (January 10th) at the Arcade Independence Square after over two decades. The event will celebrate the art of storytelling through photography while bringing together the best photojournalism and documentary photography from around the world.
The journey of the World Press Photo exhibition began in December 1955 when a group of Dutch photographers organised the contest to expose their work to an international audience. This year’s exhibition features winning images of the 70th World Press Photo contest premiered in Amsterdam in April and is now on a global tour, bringing these remarkable stories to audiences around the world. The prestigious exhibition is organised by the Embassy of the Kingdom of Netherlands in Sri Lanka in collaboration with the Sri Lanka Press Institute (SLPI).
French firefighter Theo Dagnaud scans the horizon near Saint-Ludger-de-Milot, Que., this past summer to ensure that firefighter patrols had left and he could mark the area as under control. Photographed by Charles-Frédérick Ouellet, for The Globe And Mail
Seated L-R: Ms. Martha Echevarria Gonzalez, Exhibitions Manager and Curator, World Press Photo, Mr. Kumar Nadesan, Chairman of the Sri Lanka Press Institute, Bonnie Horbach, Ambassador of the Kingdom of Netherlands for Sri Lanka and Radiesha Daluwatte, Director, Marketing, Cinnamon Life
Speaking at a media briefing to officially launch the exhibition, SLPI Chairman Kumar Nadesan said that when walking through these visual narratives, one will be reminded of the unique ability of photojournalism to shed light on untold stories, amplify voices and bridge divides. “Colombo with its rich cultural diversity and deep connection to history is an ideal host for this exhibition. SLPI has long been a champion of journalistic excellence and press freedom in our nation. Its efforts to uphold ethical journalism and foster professional growth in the media sector align seamlessly with the values celebrated in the World Press Photo Exhibition,” he underscored.
Mother meets son photo: Kibrom Berhane (24) greets his mother for the first time since he joined the Tigray Defense Forces, two years earlier. Photographed by Vincent Haiges, Republik, Real 21
At this year’s exhibition, award-winning photographs from the 2024 World Press Photo Contest capturing critical social and environmental issues, human experiences and global stories will be on display. “We look forward to the photographs and we are proud of the fact that this exhibition has been around for over 70 years,” said Bonnie Horbach, Ambassador of the Kingdom of the Netherlands of Sri Lanka. “Each photograph carries a story with it and makes us reflect on the events that happened. While some pictures are based on themes of war and suffering, others bring hope and joy. These photographs form a collective memory of the world and through these images, the stories of hundreds of photographers witnessing world events are being told to us. I believe that showcasing global issues through press photography will no doubt spark engagement and discussion. Looking through the lens of a photographer can help societies and people reflect on their own opinion and perception, as well as spark social change.
Besides these aspects we also hope that this exhibition will support Sri Lankan journalists in general and Sri Lankan photojournalists in particular,” she said.
Since 2021, the World Press Photo Contest has embraced a regional strategy, ensuring greater geographic and cultural diversity among participating photographers. The 2024 Contest involved six global regions and the winning photographs were selected out of more than 61,000 entries by 3851 photographers from 130 countries.
From January 10th onwards, the Exhibition will be on display at the following locations:
Pics by Kithsiri De Mel